ADHD Aha‪!‬ Understood.org

ADHD coach Cathy Rashidian spent the first 20 years of her career climbing the corporate ladder. She was a workaholic with undiagnosed ADHD. Then two major life events shifted her path and perspective.

At 35, she was diagnosed with cancer. She kept craving going back to work after treatment, even though she wasn’t ready. Then she had a baby at age 40. She felt overwhelmed and like she had control over nothing. Finally, after her doctor’s fourth suggestion, she got tested for ADHD. From there everything started to make sense. 

Cathy, who’s also the host of the “Proudly ADHD” podcast, talks about being a working mom with ADHD, her PMDD diagnosis, and “compassionate scheduling” to feel and function as best as possible. Join host Laura Key and Cathy’s discussion on ADHD in women, parenting, shame, and more. 

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

Growing up, Henry Lang kept hearing that he was too disorganized and “not smart enough.” Then in high school, he was diagnosed with ADHD and started getting support through a 504 plan.

Now, Henry is a teacher in Vermont dedicating his career to — and even writing his thesis on — teaching kids with ADHD. He has trouble giving himself the same empathy he shows his students, though. Henry, like many of us with ADHD, often calls the mistakes he makes because of his ADHD “dumb.” Henry and host Laura Key unpack what he really means when he says “dumb” — and how other ADHD-ers might internalize and misuse that word, too.

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

Mallory Band was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety when she was 8 years old. She has two brothers with ADHD, but their ADHD looked different. They were hyperactive on the outside. But Mallory felt hyperactive on the inside. She struggled with perfectionism, people pleasing, and big emotions. As with many women who have ADHD, imposter syndrome set in as she got older.

Mallory’s “aha” moment came well after her ADHD diagnosis — when she was in graduate school learning about executive function. It was the first time she had stopped to think about how her own brain worked, and how burnt out she was from pushing herself against it. Now she’s an executive function coach who helps people with ADHD lean into the power of saying “no.”

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

Dr. Roberto Olivardia returns to the show to talk about ADHD and eating disorders in this bonus episode. He explains the different types of eating disorders — and why ADHD and eating disorders, like binge-eating disorder (BED), often co-occur. Dr. Olivardia shares how ADHD symptoms like impulsivity play a role in eating disorders. He also talks about treatment options and what to do if you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder and needs support.

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about "ADHD Aha!" and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.

René Brooks was diagnosed with ADHD three separate times — at ages 7, 11, and 25 — so she’s had plenty of “aha” moments.

When René was a child, mental health and medication stigma kept her family from receiving vital education about ADHD. But when she was diagnosed at age 25, she was ready to tell everyone about her ADHD diagnosis.

René started Black Girl Lost Keys to empower Black women with ADHD. She’s an advocate, a content creator, and the host of the “Life With Lost Keys” podcast.

In this week’s episode of “ADHD Aha!,” René unpacks her childhood ADHD diagnoses. She shares how she’d mask her ADHD symptoms, and how that led to anxiety and depression in adulthood. Also in this episode: Is ADHD really a superpower?

Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company. Our guests’ experiences and affiliations are their own.

Dr. Roberto Olivardia is a clinical psychologist and ADHD expert who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. As he learned about ADHD in his career, the signs felt familiar: impulsivity, trouble with focus, and more. He procrastinated constantly in college and was mischievous as a kid. He was even kicked out of Sunday school.

Once he got his sleep apnea under control, his ADHD difficulties became even clearer — and it wasn’t just what you’d typically find in the DSM. (That’s the handbook health care professionals use when diagnosing things like ADHD.)

Roberto is the host of Season 2 of “Understood Explains,” where he unpacks the ins and outs of adult ADHD diagnosis. He also has two kids with ADHD. Listen to this episode of “ADHD Aha!” to learn about ADHD and trouble sleeping, plus ADHD time zones (the “now” and the “not now”).


Understood.org is a resource dedicated to shaping the world so the 70 million people in the U.S. with learning and thinking differences can thrive. Learn more about “ADHD Aha!” and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts.

Copyright © 2023 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved. Understood is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company.